WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Zach! Congratulations, Zach! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet.

“Who…”

“Who…”

“Who…” said the owl outside my bedroom window. Rise and shine, morning glory. It’s another foggy Hundred-Acre Wood day out here in chilly Northern California, and there’s an owl outside who sounds like he loves it.

I swear, that owl only calls out early on foggy mornings, which tells me he’s got a real flair for the dramatic.

How did you sleep? I’m only just getting up now, so I’m not altogether awake yet.

Did you do anything fun last night? We did end up going to Chipotle for dinner and then to See’s Candy for desert, where I learned a charming little factoid about my favorite chocolatier. Apparently, to gain access to the company’s secret kitchen at its South San Francisco headquarters, one must be employed by the company for 25 years, which makes me wonder…what the heck is going on in that kitchen??

In other completely random news, have you seen this pic of the new Spider-Man? Andrew Garfield (of The Social Network and the Red Riding Trilogy: Part 1) is reprising Tobey’s role in a reboot of the franchise.

I like Andrew, but Tobey did such a great job. Those are some big tights to fill…

And now back to beauty! If you haven’t already guessed, it’s giveaway time.

One (1) Sephora eGift card containing $50 sent to the winner by email (or $50 sent by PayPal instead).

There are two ways to enter, and you can do both of them for two chances to win. First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, a comment about anything at all, like, where were you born? Did you play any sports in school? What’s your beauty Achilles’ heel? Do you color your hair? — you get the idea.

Second, you can enter by following me on Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:

Follow @karenmbb and RT to Win a $50 eGift Card from Sephora! http://bit.ly/fvNftO

The deadline to enter is Sunday, January 30, 2011 at 11:59PM (PT).

Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.

A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.

Contest is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).

Sephora eGift Certificates can only be redeemed online and are not valid in stores or available for purchase or redemption in Canada. The winner may opt to substitute the Sephora eGift card prize for $50 sent directly to their email address by PayPal.

Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select one (1) winner at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.

The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.

Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winner is Zach! Congratulations, Zach! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet.

My plans for the day: I am apart of Steve Holmes Now modeling agency and today is the first annual awards ceremony. I will be dancing and modeling in the fashion show. I have the modeling down packed, but still a little iffy on the dance moves. I hope I don’t go out there and embarrass myself “/.

I’ve never colored my hair because it’s such a hassle. There have been times where I’ve wanted to try some subtle things, but I never end up doing it because I don’t want to deal with the process (and the price!).

you know what else I love? Black shatter polish! unfortunately all the Ulta stores near me are sold out of it already and I haven’t been able to buy it yet, but I’m obsessed and I can’t wait to get my hands on it!Ann recently posted … shark-free waters

I used to go to the salon every six weeks to get my hair dyed until I finally realized that I could go to Sally’s and do it myself for less than $5. What was I thinking all those years when I was paying someone $60?!

Karen, you are spoiling us with all these great giveaways! Please don’t stop!!!

For the last 10 years or so I have had the same hairstyle in varying lengths…a one layered bob. Recently I’ve been feeling like I wanted a change so a couple days ago I got a shoulder length, heavily layered shag with actual bangs (cheekbone length)! I also got some dark reddish brown lowlights (I have naturally blond hair) and I absolutely love it!!! My husband on the other hand doesn’t seem like a big fan…but I don’t care!

I’ve totally had the weirdest sleeping pattern lately… I only slept for like two hours lol… I’m going up to LA today for my little nephew’s 3rd birthday party If my mom ever wakes up, that is… Lol… I think I might need a new bronzaaahhhhhhh

Ugh…. I need coffee….
Thank you so much for all you wonderful giveaways!!!! I don’t have much to say this morning because well…. it is morning, and I am not quite functioning yet. But thanks again Karen, and I hope you have a good day!!!

It is a bit of a gloomy day in Northern California, but it is STILL the weekend and NOT 5 below with mountainous piles of snow! A Sephora gift card can perk you up no matter where you are and what kind of weather you have!

Happy Saturday! I am just excited to see some sun. It’s supposed to be more snow tonight and another big storm on Wednesday/Thursday. Can’t really make myself look my best on snow days since I get all gross and my makeup gets melty when I have to shovel. *sigh*Cassy recently posted … FOTD snow storm in between the snow storms

Hey Karen! We have a couple of Great Horned Owls hooting away in the backyard lately. I heard them the other night at about 2 a.m. when I couldn’t sleep!
I don’t color my hair right now, but I’m thinking about dying it a really light red. I have some red highlights already and green eyes, so I think it would look nice!Erin recently posted … NOTD- Nubar 2010 over Zoya Kelly

I have been dyeing my hair since I was in 7th grade (a loooong time ago) when I decided it would be a good idea to box dye my hair blond (naturally medium brown…or so I believe so lol) except it turned out to be more orange-y than blond. Since then I have dyed my hair black, brown, red, purple highlights, blond highlights, black highlights…well you name it. Plus on top of that I have had a perm twice. Surprisingly my hair is not dead and I am not bald lol. Right now I am trying to get back my natural color and letting it grow out…but I must say I am getting bored and I might have to give in to my hair coloring addiction pretty soon!

Hooray a giveaway! I’m about to run my first ever public D&D game (I’m a nerd!) – it may be the first time in history someone has simultaneously read dungeons and dragons rulebooks and wondered what the best eyeliner for DMing at a nerd bar would be…

I played Basketball all through Middle school and High School. I started playing in the 3rd grade, and just loved it. I was also a Cheer Leader, on the Varsity Dance Squad, I ran track and I was the Yearbook editor. I didn’t live in a small town either! My graduating class had over 1,000 students, I just liked to be involved.

Hope your weekend started off to a great start, Karen! As for me, it took me a good while to get up and get ready. This cold weather is a killer.. OH!, I have been wanting to die my hair for a while now! I’m not sure if i should go red or go with a lighter more nutty color. hm.. which should i go with? The bf promised me a Sephora trip today, so i know at least today will be a good day! hehe 😀

After years of coloring my originally dark hair everything from jet back to red and dark blond streaks (a look a former roommate referred to as “classy streetwalker!”), I’m currently in the process of growing out my roots to let it gracefully return to its natural state. Some hair-pampering products from Sephora would sure help…:)

my beauty Achilles heel would have to be my A.D.D. It’s pretty much impossible for me to get into a routine so every day I forget something important (like deodorant, or to do anything at all to my hair lol). My financial Achilles heel is spending money at Sephora instead of buying new underwear.

I’m actually from Cali! I was born in San Diego at the Balboa navel hospital.
And we do have owls around here. I never hear em except for Spring, part of summer and fall when it’s nice enough to have the windows open. Unfortunately, they are not hoot Owls, they’re screech owls.
Nothing like waking up in the middle of the night to unearthly screaming!Lisa S. recently posted … Life gets in your eyyyyyes! sung to the tune Smoke gets in your eyes

I was born in Daegu, South Korea but have been living in the states since I was about 3 months old. I’d consider myself more of an American, but I do speak Korean fluently. I was a cheerleader in high school for a year which was really fun for me but I didn’t make it into varsity the next year. I was bitter about it for a while.. :/
my beauty Achilles’ heel is cute packaging (like tokidoki!) and palettes by my favorite brands. I haven’t colored my hair for a few years now. last time I did anything to it, I had dark purple streaks that I really loved. my hair is naturally has brown mixed into it and people have asked me if I color it.Soo recently posted … Urban Decay 24-7 Glide-On Eye Pencils 15 Year Anniversary Collection Preview

My beauty achilles hill is probably eye shadow. I feel I’ve never known how to apply it properly. Now the palettes come with these instructions, so that helps a bit, but I feel I never get it quite right. I am also on a never-ending quest to find the best lengthening mascara (any tips?). I like lashes that are long and thin and defined, like a 60’s actress, not like fat, cakey lashes. I realize that false lashes are probably the way to go, but I find the prospect daunting. Sigh…

I color my hair about every 2 months. I have that mousey brown hair color and I don’t like it. I usually get it dyed a chocolate brown and then I get blonde panels in my hair. Thanks for all of the giveaways Karen!!!!

Even though my short & spiky dark brown hair has a lot of grey in it, I don’t color my hair…. yet. I plan to, not because of the grey, but because after 38 years, I’m bored with the dark brown. I actually kind of like the grey and my mom comments all the time on how pretty it looks in the sun. I’m nervous about screwing it up, but determined.

I’m 20 but I can still fit into a half-sized locker (like the ones you used in highschool or at a gym). I think being only 5’1 helps hahahaa. Thanks for always doing such great reviews and tutorials and hosting such amazing and generous giveaways!

Hi! I am actually new to your site, I found you through Amarixe on Youtube. I have gone through to look at a lot of your posts and so far I love it! You have a great personality as well, which comes through on your posts! Hope I win the gift card, but if not I hope the winner enjoys their future purchase!

I’ll prolly color my hair again next month. I usually color my hair every six months, being careful w my hair since its so thin, I’m kinda scared of hairl loss. Lol! I’ve been a volley ball player when I was still in high school and a cheerer too.

I always look forward to finding your newsletter in my inbox. Always wondering what you’ll post. I love your reviews and insights into products. You’re the best, Karen. Would love to win the giftcard so I can try a few of your picks.

I just got back from Rite Aid, where I purchased two Wet ‘n’ Wild Color Icon eyeshadow trios. Now I think I might order some MAC stuff online. I declared earlier this month that I was done shopping for a while … That lasted eight (8) days. I have no willpower. It’s a fact.Principessa Grassa recently posted … Spiteful- Spiteful Shawl

I put a red hue in my hair during the summer to make it look like the sun is shining on my head all the time! My favorite highlighter is from Sephora and I need another one so this card would totally help out! Say hi to Tabs for me!Meghan recently posted … MAC eyeshadow dupes-NYX

I love Sephora and would like to be the lucky person to win this. They have wonderful products. I am from Virginia. Yes I color my hair and actually had it done today. I love your site and keep trying to win. God Bless

I am from Houston, Texas, and I love it! It is sooo diverse–you can drive 5 minutes away from the suburbs and end up Chinatown, or Little Mexico, or anywhere. The food options are endless, which is always a plus. 😉

I was born in Los Angeles, and am chomping at the bit for some fabulous Illamasqua products (cream blush and polishes) and MUFE diamond dust. Today I’ve done nothing but finally get some much-needed sleep after a very work-filled week. 😀

My beauty Achilles’ heel changes every month or so. For a while I was really stuck on blush, this month has definitely turned in to being all about foundation and concealers. Wonder what will come next? 😀

i have an interesting story! i grew up in new jersey, lived their my entire life, and today is exactly one month i’ve been living in tennessee! it sucks but it made my mother happy, so it’s ok! <3(: it's a whole new experience! so for anyone reading this look on the bright side of things and always be open to changes.. they're what makes you stronger ! (((:Emily recently posted … Photo

All my life I was a brunette. In my 40s, my hair turned white! What a drastic change! I’m 56 now and use a platinum blonde at home boxed color on my hair. I’m seriously considering stopping the whole routine and going au naturale.

I was borh in Bakersfield, CA. I played flute in marching band – does that count as a sport? I have more hair care products than I know what to do with. every time I get my hair cut, I buy what they use and they always use something different; and yes, I color my hair – gotta get rid of that gray hair!

If I am the lucky winner of this wonderful gift card contest, I could purchase my favorite neck cream, Dr. Brandt V Cream. Cause ladies, you have to take care of the neck! Thanks Karen for all your hard work on the blog!

Beauty confession of the week: I feel slightly guilty that I bought sixteen (16!!!) new lip products from e.l.f. this week. I had a 50% off coupon, so the order was only $16 including shipping. But still… Does one really need 16 new lipglosses?

I colored my hair dark brown a few months ago and my entire family freaked out. My natural hair color is medium brown so it wasn’t a big change but both my grandmothers still keep telling me not to dye it again every time I talk to them. So I’m guessing it won’t happen again for a while.

I dye my hair every few months (3-6) with red Henna. My hair loves henna. My natural curls clump better, my hair feels stronger, and I have always wanted red hair and this gives a nice auburn color to my tresses. I am starting to get a few grays at the top so loving covering them at this time. People always comment on my color and since I don’t do anything chemically to my hair I have no issues with this great natural product. I mean, Hay, Cleopatra used the stuff so how can you go wrong? Right? xoxo

I color my hair all. the. time. I’m so addicted! I always want something different, and I tend to go between dark and light more than I should. I’m all about the light hair right now.Deb recently posted … Ichimi KitKat

At primary school I played hockey, until I fractured my foot during a game. Having a hockey ball smash into your foot is actually rather traumatising for an 11 year old. At high school, the only sport I was involved in was rifleshooting. That usually surprises people

I can never get the perfect cat eye no matter how may times I practice! I think it could be because I have round eyes and one of my eyelids has a very tiny crease and the other has a deep crease. It looks like I have one mono lid and one double eyelid, and when I try the cat eye my eyes look lopsided.

I think my beauty Achilles heel is my oily, acne-prone skin. Most anti-aging products assume you have dryness so the clog my pores and break me out. Things have gotten better in recent years, but it can still be tough to find stuff that will work for me.Liz recently posted … Gratuitous Nail Polish Porn

I absolutely love Sephora for all my beauty needs. They have such a wide variety of high quality products that are hard to resist for a makeup addict like me. All the innovative prodcuts they carry make it hard to keep a paycheck at home.

Tiana – Have you tried Clinique’s Redness Solutions Daily Relief Cream? I had red cheeks (very sensitive and burned frequently) and finally tried this just to cover the redness (it’s a greenish cream). After rubbing in a tiny dot of cream on each cheek for a week, my cheeks were no longer red and didn’t burn. I don’t think it really helped with the color, but solved the real reason my cheeks were red – irritated and dry cheeks, which I didn’t even know was a problem since the rest of my face is oily. Love it. Use it every morning. And the $40 jar lasts me a year.

I’d love to win but I’m so unlucky and never win. I recently went to a Xmas party where we were given tickets and there were 10 winners. Of the 10, 4 of the winning numbers were around mine, the guy that came after me and the 3 people that came b4 me. What luck!

I didn’t wear makeup while growing up, was to busy running after the ball in tennis and trying to look cool as a fencer, then when college came was to busy as a student running around campus. Now that I’m done with all that running, I can enjoy make up, thanks Karen for the lovely gift. I just love Sephora!

I suck at giveaways. Have never won any of them but it sure is fun to dream of winning. Had a great day today!!!!! Celebrated my daughter’s 6th birthday with a bowling party. Finally home resting, decided to wear Tory Burch flats to the party which ended up being a bad idea because I don’t find those shoes comfortable at all!

There was this AWESOME theatre troupe in town tonight called The Missoula Oblongata. They were so funny and their set was super nifty. It was thoroughly enjoyable and i would recommend anyone on the west coast to look out for them as they are traveling in that direction right now. A good saturday night it was.

wootwoot! This is what I call a nifty giveaway!
Hmm, random comment
Well, my hair has not grown out at all to its natural state since I was 12! It’s always been AT LEAST mostly bleached out, and usually colored (purple, pink and now RED! REDRED!) I love it!Bhevarri recently posted … Hi-Fi Cosmetics swatches and review

I was born in the Philippines, moved to Saudi Arabia (because of my dad’s job) when I was 7, then moved to Ohio after the Gulf War, lived for 4 years in Toronto Canada and now I’m back to Ohio raising a family, and totally addicted to Sephora and tell my clients to pay me with Sephora gift cards! Whew! Longest sentence I’ve ever written, LOL!Janice recently posted … Kyla Grace

I have grey hair obsession. I have black hair and when a grey comes out it looks horrid!
I spend hours in the bathroom trying to spot all the grey I have and pulling it.
Thinking of dying my hair black. Is it too soon? Just pushing 30 now.

I went outside for a long walk yesterday, for probably the first time in 3 years. I’ve been riding my bike, but it was nice to just walk and enjoy the nice day. I hope the weather is nice where you are.

my beauty’s achille’s feet: my thin, sparse ghost-eyebrows. My hair is naturally black, i have lots of it, but somehow my eyebrows are very pale and patchy–not even because i over-plucked ’em, mind you…

I can’t for the spring collections. I heard MAC is releasing the cremeblend blushes in April, I think. I was disappointed when they discontinued the blushcremes. They were my favorite cream blushes. I haven’t tried the cremeblends before but I hope they are just as good as the blushcremes.

I need a haircut, bad, and am toying with something drastic, possibly including bangs. Am not overly phobic about bad cuts, but I do also need to renew my drivers license, so however awesome or lame it is, it’ll be commemorated for years to come. Eeek!

UD is my kryptonite.
Fun tip:
Lightly swirl a blush brush in the first 3 colors of the Naked palette (Virgin, Sin, & Naked) and gently apply in a circular motion to cheeks(or whatever areas you like to highlight) for a nice illuminating powder for light to medium skin tones. Works great on me, and saves me the extra money of buying a highlighting/illuminating powder.

Here in France we have sales at this time of the year and a lot of Nars products were sold with a 70% discount in Sephora!!!! Of course I had a duty to grab this amazing bargain! Thanks Sephora! And thank you karen for this nice giveaway.

I just saw your article about the MAC collections at the Duty-Free stores (I’m near Texas/Mexico border) and was riddled with indecision about whether to spend my money on that (and gas to get to the border) or to try some of Sephora’s new skin care products from their own line. This would definitely help me out in my decision!

I do color my hair, using a nonpermanent “ammonia free” (although who knows if its any less damaging) color, Natural Instincts, to dye my hair darker, to almost black.. but now its growing out and Im debating if i should continue or just suck it up and let my natural color grow out (which I hate lol) .. bc i feel like my hairs been getting thinner since ive started dying it… *sigh* lol

Today here on Oahu it was gray, cold & rainy. I was suppose to be reading and studying but the weather just had me lounging under the covers doing some online beauty shopping. It was one of those days where the weather made it a lazy day. Since it’s still cold I’m going to climb out of bed to eat some Korean food probably soup with the bf.

nothing in hs. gradeschool was when i did the sports thing. i was on and off cheerleading. cross country- uugh i died every practice and meet. brutal..and track and field. which was fun cause i was pretty good at long and high jump. broke a few records plus there was a lot of friend hang out time cause there was a lot of running for boys and girls so in turn lots of different times those would happen. and the jumps and shotput you just had to get done before a certain time. so yeah. that was fun. i miss it. and i was on a saturday morning bowling team for years when i was even younger.
pretty sure i missed the deadline (i can never remember the time difference). so pissed i missed the wonder woman one cause my bf asked me to spend another night. i couldnt say no well either way you now have a small history of my sports career. lucky you 😉

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You know what time it is. :) It's time to party with Tabs! -- the world's foremost international playboy tabby (and my feline employer). Kitty model, superstar, dreamer and all around lovable diva extraordinaire. See what he's been loving lately on his blog, partywithtabs.com, or follow his missives and adventures on Twitter.